Masquerade

Author’s Note: So my birthday was August 4th, and because I not only had the best party ever (liquor, dancing, DJ, Derek) and the best presents, I decided to indulge myself.

Ahem.


LEMON. CHAPTER. Smut.


You all must love me.


Chapter Twenty-Five – You Can Breathe Now, But the Air is Running Out


Today was a day just like any other.

…

You could sense the sarcasm there, right?

Kagome sighed and leaned the sweaty skin of her forehead to the cool wooden railing. Under her, the boat rocked and rolled, making her feel slightly nauseous but not unbearably so. The moon tangled itself in the masts and ropes hanging overhead, the water that spread for miles around them glowed. Kagome took in a deep breath of the salty air, tasting it curl in the back of her throat. This had become a daily ritual for her, coming out to the deck alone when the majority of the men were asleep. At first she’d done it to meditate, but out here – in the wide expanse of sea, buried in the swaying of the ship – she was much too easily distracted.

Absently she ran a finger over the flat deck, glaring half-heartedly when a light spray from the sea hit her head. Not able to muster enough energy to really care, Kagome pushed her head away from the rail and lay on her back, indifferent of the dirty wood below her. Her vision knotted with the fabric of the sail and the gleam of the moon, though she couldn’t really focus on what was before her.

She was unable to wrap her mind around the prospect of somebody actually wanting her or vice-versa. She’d always been nice, innocent Kagome. The ‘I’m-your-friend-and-only-your-friend’ Kagome. The Kagome without hormones or urges or wants or needs or selfishness.

Of course she’d changed. She’d been changed for a long time. Kagome knew that. Kagome had even grown selfish. Especially of-

“Kagome.”

No comment.

“Why are you out here at this time of night? Humans need sleep.”

If I ignore him he’ll go away and I can continue with my deep, intellectual train of thought.

“Miko, are you ignoring me?”

“Yes.” Crap!

Sesshoumaru studied the priestess – her feet were dangled over the ship’s railing, her hands were spread out limply, her hair was a wild curtain fanning behind her head, tangling itself in a pile of fisherman’s rope, and her eyes were an odd cerulean color – before sitting himself against the ship’s side. “Why so?”

Kagome, tonight you are going to be completely honest. No more of this game you’ve started playing with him. You go girl! Sickened that she’d need to give herself a pep talk, Kagome turned to look at him with a pout. “It’s easier to pretend I don’t,” want! Say want! “… I don’t-,” spit it out! “Want you.”

Sesshoumaru almost seemed surprised. “Want me?”

A deep sigh escaped Kagome and she lost her gaze to the moon once again, refusing to meet his eyes or let him see the blush tainting her high cheekbones. “Yes. I do. But I don’t like it.”

“Oh? Feeling attraction is something you didn’t expect someday?”

“No- yes- maybe-… Just, I don’t know. I never expected it to be with you! I mean, seriously, I thought you were a woman the first time I- oops…”

Sesshoumaru’s hand was wrapped in the fabric of her collar almost instantly. He yanked her up so she could taste his breath, so the force of his eyes – narrowed and angry and passionate – wouldn’t be lost. Kagome took a shuddering breath and placed a hand atop his, her fingers closing over his own. “I assure you, Kagome, I am no bitch.”

“Do you mean that literally or figuratively?” Dammit! Shut your mouth, Kagome!

A low growl escaped him and she was forced even closer. Kagome gulped and tugged weakly at his hand, but was preoccupied by the way their bangs were mixing together. It was almost a direct contradiction, the deep midnight of hers and the brilliant diamond of his. It’s white, not silver. I don’t care what they say.

“Kagome,” the anger still burned in his voice, but it had taken a backseat to the finely obscured ardor.

“Sesshoumaru,” Here’s the plan. Detangle yourself and respectfully tell him he’s the manliest man you’ve ever met, then run. “I think-”

After the second word had left her mouth Sesshoumaru stopped caring, fascinated instead by how shiny her lips looked in the nighttime illumination. But- something about that last sentence…

“And that captain tried to kiss me,” She’d said. He’d heard her.

Sesshoumaru’s eyes hit hers again, his lips thinned. “The male tried to do what?”

Kagome blinked, backtracked, and freaked out. “He- uhm, he- he caught a fish!” And, don’t kill him. He needs to do captain-ly things.

Sesshoumaru didn’t buy it. “He tried to kiss you?”

Kagome gulped and looked off to the side, the water reflecting charmingly in her wide eyes. “Maybe… or- or maybe he tripped! Obviously he just… fell on my- um, lips.” She nodded and looked back at him with a completely unbelievable smile, trying to shrink away from him. “So, obviously it was a complete misunderstanding on my part and you shoul- mmphf!”

Being silenced by the lips of a demon lord weren’t the worst way to be silenced, Kagome thought briefly before sinking into him.

Sesshoumaru’s hand remained buried in the folds of her white fabric, but his thumb was brushing lightly over the back of her hand and his mouth was hot over hers. He nipped lightly and managed to breathe in her scent. Eventually having their hands smashed between them started annoying Sesshoumaru, so he released her shirt and wrapped his large hand around the back of her neck, feeling her silky hair shift over the back of his palm. She mewled lightly and-

“Pirates! Pirates over the horizon! All hands on deck!”

Sesshoumaru growled against her lips and extracted his tongue from her mouth, his hand falling away from her body. She sighed and pushed away from him, standing. He followed her example, smirking at the color on her cheeks and the emotions swirling in her eyes. The captain came up behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder, oblivious to the scowl on the taiyoukai’s face.

“Kagome-san, you’ll be safe over here.”

Kagome started to protest - “I’m a priestess! I can help, and-” – but Sesshoumaru grabbed her hand and yanked her over to the barrels the captain had pointed out, stuffing her in between two with little trouble. “Miko, stay here. Do not move.”

Kagome glared up at him, still blushing. “But I can-”

“I need you alive. For various reasons.” He smirked and walked away from her toward where the rest of the men had gathered. Sesshoumaru was not going to intervene, oh no - they were still just humans – but if things got to bad he needed to be close enough to Kagome so he could save her.

That thought stopped him dead.

Have you anything to protect, Sesshoumaru?

…

Damn.

He did.

Discreetly, he glanced over his shoulder to the miko. Kagome was sitting with her knees up to her chest, her hands wrapped around them loosely. A strand of hair had fallen into her eyes, but her vision was focused off to the right somewhere. Sesshoumaru blinked and began forward once more, a subtle grin dancing over his lips.

She was his to protect.

Hn.

Kagome watched as a small flame over the surface of the water grew closer and closer, until at last the ship of the enemy came into vision. It was of European make, larger and stronger then their own. Kagome took in a deep breath, knowing the battle was already won. Unless-

Her gaze shifted back to Sesshoumaru, leaving her head still facing the right.

-Unless she convinced the most powerful being she knew to help the humans.

All she’d have to do was use the big-eyes, and pouty-lips - maybe she’d touch his arm, run a hand over his markings - then he’d agree and everyone (that mattered) would be happy.

…

The minute Kagome comes back to earth, the earth where hell hasn’t frozen over, she’ll alert you. Promise.

Captain Iori had never been so anticipant of a fight. Not only was he going to bring down some of the lowest scum staining that beautiful open sea, but he was also going to impress the lovely Kagome. Kagome, such a sweet name. Iori grinned cheekily and drew his katana, his eyes unfocused as visions of the graceful, stunning, serene, charming, intelligent-

“Oof!” Iori exclaimed, catching himself before he hit the deck. He twirled around to face the person who’d dared pushed him on his own ship, a dark scowl on his face. He froze when the demon lord’s glowing golden eyes settled on him dispassionately. Iori’s breathing grew shallow and his katana almost slipped from his sweaty palms as he registered- Big. Angry. Demon.

Sesshoumaru tilted his head back the smallest amount of inches, letting his lips curl the barest of hints so his fangs glinted ominously in the bright moonlight. His face reflected disgust, but his eyes were cruelly amused. And-

Iori just about shit his pants.

A shrill yell broke their attention from one another, the sound of several heavy feet falling on the deck rallying the men together in a tight group.

A few moments passed with no movement from the pirates who’d just landed on the ship, all of their eyes were locked on Sesshoumaru unsurely.

Sesshoumaru took a step away from Iori and turned his back to them, walking toward the rear of the ship indifferently.

The pirates watched him go, waiting until he was out of sight, then grinned evilly at the Japanese men. “G’night gents.”

Chaos, was all Kagome could comprehend as she stared wide-eyed at the battle before her. She’d been in many of her own, but hers were all with bloodthirsty demons. Seeing humans cutting through other humans made her sick. Kagome shut her eyes and turned away, swallowing the bile in her throat. A loud call next to her caused her look up again-

Then screamed as a decapitated head hit the ground several feet in front of her, rolling towards her as the ship violently churned. Kagome jumped up, trying to wipe the blood off her face, and lifted a foot as the skull hit the ground next to her. She squeaked again and rolled out of the compartment formed between the barrels, catching the attention of two pirates.

“Well, well, look what we got ‘ere.” One said, revealing a toothless smile.

Kagome winced and backed up until she was leaning on the railing, her eyes darting back and forth between the two imposing men fearfully.

“Looks like a good time, if ya know wha’ I mean.” The second said, absently twirling the axe around in his hand.

Kagome cringed, what to do what to do what to do?! The first one reached for her and she screamed, loud and long, hoping to gain the attention of the captain, or better yet-

“Sesshoumaru!”

The pirates looked confused for a brief moment, but shrugged and started toward her again.

Another brutal roil of the ship sent water rushing over the edge, and suddenly-

Kagome was over the side of the boat, the image of surprised golden eyes flaring to the front of her addled mind. Her hand shot up in and attempt to grasp something but her back hit the freezing water painfully and she was lost.

Weighed down by her heavy robes and the coins in the purse around her waist, she sunk quickly.

Her mouth opened to scream again but she got only a mouthful of burning salt water. She felt it smolder down her throat, felt the icy liquid licking at her ankles and feet, wrapping the red material of her hakama tighter around her legs, making her already feeble kicks weaker. Her eyes were on fire in her head, so she shut them tightly and tried to fight against the torrent, but more water had been shoved into her lungs, dragging her down and shaking her strength and shutting her off. Slowly, she stopped, and her eyes opened. She could just make out the crescent moon in the distance, wavering and blurry. A tiny, delirious smile floated to her lips as her vision blackened, her mind matching a face to the bright moon.

This is it, then.

Unconsciousness was a welcome visitor.


A strong hand wrapped around her ankle, though Kagome remained unaware.

Fire shot through her chest as Kagome continued coughing, water and other contents emptying from her throat seemingly endlessly. Sesshoumaru stood by and watched, still numb from earlier.

Finally, her coughing subsided and she sat up. Kagome wiped a shaky hand over her mouth, blinking as tears fell down her cheeks from her sore eyes. After a few moments of staring out at the ocean blankly, she buried her hands in the sand under her and looked up at Sesshoumaru. “I could die tomorrow.” Kagome muttered, realization smacking her in the face and boxing her in like a brick wall.

Sesshoumaru’s eyes softened minutely and he settled gracefully next to her on the ground.

“We are at Okinawa. Where did the old woman say to take the Shikon?”

Kagome didn’t answer, so Sesshoumaru turned to her. She was staring at her hands – almost lost under the cool sand – with wide, understanding eyes.

“Priestess?”

“Sesshoumaru-sama, I could die tomorrow and it wouldn’t matter. It wouldn’t matter if I had regrets or lost hopes or- or -,” wants, her mind echoed hauntingly, drawing images of her family, of her friends, of Sesshoumaru on the wall surrounding her. Her breath left her and her head fell back. It wouldn’t matter what I had or hadn’t done, I could die and that would be it.

“Kagome?”

She turned and looked at him squarely – really looked at him – making Sesshoumaru exhale. Her eyes had shifted. The blue – the wide-eyed, ever-changing, innocent blue – had darkened and stained with tendrils of black and deep brown. The taiyoukai’s head inclined, his brows drawing down at the decision he could sense in the weight of her gaze. It’s true, his hand inched closer to her own, if something like this happened, and I was not near-

Visions of her comatose form, her inky hair getting tossed around her peaceful face, her pale hand out-stretched and lifeless, whipped through his eyes.

What would you do then? Move on? Forget the little human priestess?

His gaze traveled down her arm. Could you? Sesshoumaru stilled himself as she stood up, apparently over her near-death experience.

“We have to find the two tallest mountains, there’s holy ground there, though I’m not sure you’ll be able to take a step on it and- what are you doing?”

Sesshoumaru’s arm was anchored around her waist, securing her to his unarmored chest. Kagome blinked and looked to her right, “Oh! So that’s where your armor- mmphf!”

Sesshoumaru nipped at her lips, his hand trailing up her spine, his eyebrows furrowing at the wet material against his chest, covering her back. Kagome almost gave in, but firmly pulled her head away, turning to the left to pant. “Um. So, when we get to the-” his mouth found its way to a particularly sensitive spot, “… to the… shrine – uhn – we’ll need to, to- I can’t think when you do that!”

His head rose and he smirked.

“Exactly.”

Kagome gulped at the look in his eyes – he’s a man, he isn’t just Sesshoumaru – and wrapped her tiny fist around the Shikon hanging from her neck. “But- but we need to plan. You’re the demon lord, the Aristocratic Assassin! You know the benefits of having a – having a-… having a- oh,” Sesshoumaru grinned against her neck, his tongue inching out to flick at that spot right behind her ear.

His long fingers encompassed her own, removing her hold of the jewel. He yanked once and the chain broke easily in his hold. Kagome gasped and grabbed for it, but he tossed it into his discarded armor without taking his gaze off her face. “Kagome, you could die tomorrow.”

She fell away from him, her back hitting against a smooth boulder the perfect height – had he been planning this? – for things. He followed after her easily, taking a step forward so she was trapped between his knees, her eyes fixed on his face. His head tilted to the side leisurely, a warm hunger growing in his gaze.

“Yes, I suppose I could.” Kagome started again, “But- but you’ll be with me, right?”

“Hm.” Sesshoumaru replied, his hands falling down to the knot holding his sash up.

“So I’m pretty much safe,” his sash fell away, “and besides, you have Tensaiga,” followed by the detailed outer shirt, “and I’m sure some god is on my side with the Shikon,” then the shirt hiding his six-pack of the gods fell open and away, “and- and- Wait!”

His hand froze at the tie keeping his pants up. “Hm?”

Kagome panicked and kept her eyes off his chest. “We can’t.”

Sesshoumaru blinked. “Priestess, this,” he motioned toward her and him with his hand, “has happened before. We won’t be the first. Besides,” he smirked again, “you want me.”

“But- but-… Human! And youkai. And royalty- so, you know, it’s… uhm… immoral! And I’m a priestess. The Shikon one! I’ll burn in, uhm, the… third? No, the sixth? Seventh? Ugh! I’ll just burn and it’ll be in a bad level of hell – okay, so there all bad – and-”

His pants dropped.

Kagome stuttered and tried her best to keep her eyes above his waist. Which lead to his bare, muscular chest. She sucked in a breath and flattened herself further against the rock, her fingers twitching and her hormones begging her to LOOK. DOWN. “Sesshoumaru-sama, you’re not wearing any pants.”

Sesshoumaru looked down at himself. “Oh? Well,” his eyes settled back on her clothed body, “That isn’t very fair, is it?” He asked, his hand brushing against the collar of her robe.

Kagome’s mouth ran dry and she shivered when a single finger slipped under the white material. “No! Stop! Uhm…” think! This is bad! Very bad! “What- what if I get… pregnant? What if I get pregnant?!”

Sesshoumaru grinned and his hand glided lower below the opening of her shirt. “You can’t. Demon, priestess. Physically impossible.”

“Really? I never knew that. So Izayoi really was just a- Ack!”

His hand parted her top, falling into the valley of her breasts like it belonged there. Kagome’s breath caught in her throat and her eyes fell to the hollow of his collarbone. She thought of how perfectly her lips would fit there if she just leaned forward-

No! Kagome couldn’t. Wouldn’t! And-

Weren’t you just telling yourself earlier how much you wanted to end this game? How you wished something would happen to prove Sesshoumaru wasn’t the frozen demon lord and you aren’t the perfect little priestess? Are you really just going to stop and walk away now?

Sesshoumaru murmured something against the side of her face, and Kagome shifted her head up a little, feeling his wet lips slide against her temple. “Wh- what did you say?”

“I said,” his hand yanked at the waist of her pants, tugging her hips closer to his, “you don’t want any regrets. I know you don’t. Why then do you continue to fight the inevitable?”

“Inevitable?” Kagome whispered against his shoulder, her hands – operating completely against her will! – feeling along the taunt ridges of his abs.

Sesshoumaru “hm”-ed and licked at the top of one of her breasts, his knees sliding slowly down the rock as he blew on the wet trail he’d left on her skin. “If you had happened to do something as repulsive as give into the cat’s advances (or die) or that human captain’s (or die) or-”

“Okay. But, we really, really shouldn’t- ohh.”

Finally he ended up in front of her, his knees buried in the sand next to her feet and his hand wrapped decidedly in the bow holding her hakama up. “Kagome. If you happen to tell me once more to stop I’m afraid I’ll be forced to listen to you.”

Kagome inhaled when she felt the tension of her pants loosen, exhaling as they began to slide down her waist, over her hips, below her thighs, and- Oh, my.

His fingers brushed the outside of her panties – mom was right, they do last forever if taken care of properly – and she immediately banished all thoughts of her mother from her mind.

Sesshoumaru stood after diverging her of her pants and moved his fingers against her leisurely. “You see, Kagome, after we are rid of the jewel, you’ll be a free woman. And, as a woman you’ll have urges.” His lips curled sinfully, his finger hooking inside the material covering her wetness. “With these newfound urges you’ll need to be,” his nose ran up her neck and over her ear, his tongue touching the sensitive skin briefly, “taken care of. Whom better than I?” A single finger sunk in and Kagome’s brain fell out. Sesshoumaru grinned and pushed another finger inside – careful, measured pace – until Kagome was quite unfit to argue. Or respond.

Kagome moaned and yanked his head over to her lips, her hands burying in his hair, scratching at his burning scalp.

He had a plan.

Not only did his plan involve swallowing her moans and mewls and maybe her tongue, but he wanted to ruin her for any other man. No other would touch her, no, she would be his alone. His what-

Sesshoumaru growled low in his throat and licked the corner of her mouth, his hand leaving her, gripping her hip as he pushed himself against her almost angrily.

-His memory. Because, no, he could never forget her. Never replace her. Nothing, no one would ever compare to this human priestess, even if he wanted them to.

Kagome’s head fell back against the boulder once more at his growl and her eyes found his. What are you doing? “Sesshoumaru-sama…?” Her voice was much too breathy and much too wanting for her own good, but…

“Yes, Kagome?” His hand slowly rose toward her chest, a gentle smirk tossed to his lips as he looked down at her.

“Why? Why are you doing this?”

Sesshoumaru said nothing, focusing on his hand as it grew closer to her left breast.

“I’m sure you’ve done this before with much more… uhm, seasoned demonesses so, you’ll probably be disappointed, and I’m a human-”

Sesshoumaru growled again and pushed his entire body to hers, his hand still trapped between them. “Because none of them mattered. Because as hard as I try to tell myself I’m not attracted to a human priestess, that it doesn’t matter what you think or who you’re interested in, I can’t.” He ground out, biting into her shoulder. “Now no more talking.”

Kagome grabbed his face in between her hands and raised it so she could look at him. Their gazes met almost physically, and her thumb ran over a stripe. Something- something had to be said. Kagome couldn’t just do this without-

Love. Did she love Sesshoumaru?

The breath left her body once more, and her fingers flexed on his jaw line.

It was Sesshoumaru. But, he was more than a fancy title or a fear-instilling name. He was- he was-

Love.

She did. And it was enough.

So she released her worries, vowed to be rid of her regrets, and crushed their mouths together again – and again and again – and felt his hand cup her breast, felt him pinch at her, felt him against her, felt him lose himself.

Sesshoumaru felt his abdomen tighten and his breath shorten, felt his flesh growing and his blood pumping, and grew selfish. It was his turn. He wanted to feel better and forget and not be able to think.

So- Sesshoumaru wrapped his arm around her and brought them to the ground, his back now at the rock while he drew her into his lap. Kagome gasped as he hardened further against her and met his eyes timidly. Sesshoumaru’s hand was at her hip again, and because she was ready, she rose and fell onto him, tumbled into him, curled around him. She gasped and buried her head into his shoulder, not daring to move least something else rip through her. Kagome’s eyes clenched at the feeling, one that wasn’t the worst pain she’d ever felt, nor the least. After a few moments the stretchy pain turned into one she could stand, one she wanted and she relaxed, then breathed, then felt and ached. Her eyes opened and she rose slowly, feeling him almost guiltily. Sesshoumaru’s breathing hitched and his hand fell from her hip to grasp the underside of her thigh, edging her up and down and over and under and again, again, again-

When she climaxed against him he continued to thrust, not only waiting for his own, but knowing she would never forget him. He wouldn’t let it happen. He refused.

Finally he exploded and she felt it, so she fell back as he fell forward and she caught him almost accidentally, her vision full of dancing spots and her brain singing some random theme song happily. Sesshoumaru’s hips dropped back to the ground and he watched her slightly inane smile proudly. He’d done that. And-

He was going to be the only one to ever do that.

Further excited at that prospect his hand shot to the center of her back and he rose to his knees before laying her in front of him. Kagome met his eyes with a confused frown, her hand rising to his shoulders. “Again?”

Sesshoumaru – just because he wanted to piss her off – let one eyebrow rise for answer before surging forward again, colliding against her blissfully.

“And again and again…” He whispered into her hair, his claws running lightly down her chest.

Kagome shuddered – whether it was because of his claws or voice – and laced her fingers behind his neck, moaning softly.

“So what you’re saying is Izayoi was really a hime from the North who’d disobeyed her father?”

Sesshoumaru nodded in response, distracted by curve of her shoulder, bared by his silk kosode as it slipped further down her arm.

Kagome scratched her head and drew another line in the sand, connecting the lines of his family almost automatically. “So your mother was his first mate, obviously and- hey! He never married Izayoi… actually, he never married! So technically both you and Inuyasha are illegitimate… unless the Inu no Taisho married both of- he did, didn’t he?! He took two wives in addition to his harem? My goodness that guy must have had the libido from hell-” she froze as Sesshoumaru leaned over her back, pressing himself against her. Kagome glared at the sand in front of her, ignoring him for the moment. “I know it’s customary to have several wives now, but it’s just so unsanitary. And cruel, really…. Wait…” She turned to him over her shoulder, her eyes angry and curious. “You don’t-”

Sesshoumaru blinked and snorted. “No, I have no wives. None.”

Kagome sighed and almost gave in, but- “And a harem-?”

“I do not possess either. Now stop talking. There are more pressing matters to attend to.”

Kagome rolled her eyes and drew another line in the sand. “That was a very bad pun- uhn.”

“We really should start moving.” Kagome said, snuggling further into his side.

Sesshoumaru grunted and shifted on the pile of clothes they’d made.

Kagome giggled and yanked the Mokomoko-sama to her face, petting the white pelt happily. Sesshoumaru cracked an eye open and scowled at all the attention he wasn’t getting. His hand rose of its own accord, his claw pricking her side harmlessly. Kagome stopped molesting the pelt for a moment to look back at him, shrugged, and then buried her face into the fur. Sesshoumaru’s scowl darkened and he rolled to his side, studying her intently. Look at me. Kagome peeked up at him, half her face still hidden in the down. Seeing his expression she broke into another fit of giggles.

“What’s so funny, woman?”

“You’re pouting!”

Sesshoumaru grew less cooperative. “I, Sesshoumaru, do not pout.”

Kagome sat up, still hugging that pelt to her, and reached out to trace his lips. “You are pouting. And it’s adorable.”

Sesshoumaru opened his mouth a little and licked the tip of her finger, watching her face. Her eyes widened, her lips parted, and a light blush spread over her features.

Sesshoumaru pounced.

Sesshoumaru: … You animal.

Kagome: … I – I- European standards! Where was it?! Where?

Whew. So happy I got that out of my system. Now-

I know I used a lot of repetitive words. I meant to. Silence.

And,

first lemon ever.

Therefore, I cringe. And pray you’ll leave your opinion. Nicely.